Controlling recording devices



April 21, 1964 s. K. LAcKoFF 3,129,998

CONTROLLING RECORDING DEVICES Filed Jan. 22, 1962 ssses 'EF 5:" 5

United States Patent() 3,129,998 CDNTROLLING RECORDING DEVIC ES Samuel K. Lackoil, Manchester, NH., assigner to Rustrak Instrument Co. Inc., a corporation -of New Hampshire Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,546 2 Claims. (Cl. 346-78) rIlhis invention relates to recording devices and more particularly to galvanornetric reconding devices in which electrical signals derived from a galvanometer, cont'rol the position of a pointer with respect to a recording stri v 'lghe invention is an improvement of copending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 785,709, Method and Apparatus for Chart Recording filed on 'January 8, 1959 by Richard W. May now Patent No. 3,048,848 issued August 7, 1962 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and U.S. Ser. No. 167,522 Improvements in or Relating to Recording Devices ledon January 22, 1962 by Samuel K. Lackoi and also assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application.

One of 'the objects of the invention is to control the recording operations in such a manner as to selective-ly permit reading and writing through predetermined time intervals.

Another object of the invention is to provide for locking of a percussion bar or plate arranged periodically to press a galvanometrically controlled pointer against a pressure sensitive dhart in the recording device.

Still another object of the invention is to support a percussion bar or plate eifecting rhythmical pressure on the galvanometric pointer, and through the pointer onto the pressure sensitive chart, rotatably on the back of a door of the recording device which has a window exhibiting part of the chart together with a portion of tlhe galvanometric pointer, and to inhibit the motion of the percussion plate by pressing it continuously against the door.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such continuous pressure by means of a leaf spring also supported on the back of the door and pressing it against the percussion plate continuously, unless it is prevented from such pressure exertion by the axial movement of a bolt or shaft operated from the front of the door and keeping the leaf spring away from pressing againstthe percussion plate, thus permitting that plate to exercise its rhythmical function.

These and other objects of the invention will be more fully apparent from the drawings enclosed herewith in which FIG. l shows a recording device in perspective, embodying certain features of the invention.

FIG'. 2 in a cross section shows the same recording device with an inner element controlling the inhibition of the percussion movement.

FIG. 3 shows a view on the back of the door itself.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the recording device is substantially a device such as shown in the above-mentioned co-pending patent applications of which the present application represents an improvement. The invention however, is not limited to this particular type ofrecording device but may be applied to other recording devices and especially such devices in which a pressure sensitive chart or strip is marked by rhythmical pressure momentaneously applied through a galvanometric pointer onto the pressure sensitive surface or paper of the chart.

In FIG. l, the recording device is shown to consist of a housing 1 provided with a door 2 having a window 3 exhibiting pressure sensitive chart 4 supported on its back and also showing the upper end of a galvanometric pointer 5 adapted to move across the chart and to indi- ICC cate electrical values which are legible the scalelines of the chart as well as from a scale 6 forming the lower edge 7 of window 3.

p As apparent from the cross section of FIG. 2, the pointer 5 is controlled by a galvanorneter schematically shown at 8 which is also supported on the back of door 2 in order topermit accessibility for repair or replacement.

Similarly supported on the door is the pressure sensitive chart schematically shown at 4 and transported across window 3 by means of a sprocket schematically indicated at 9, and feeding from a take-oli? reel 10 onto a take-up reel 11 which are supported in a manner apparent from f the above-mentioned co-pending patent applications or in any other appropriate manner without departing from the scope of this disclosure. n

' Pressureplate 12 has anuupper or working edge or bar 18 forming part of the lower edge 7 of window 3, and is actuated by an extension or lever 13 attached to it, by the movement of a sprocket or tooth wheel 14 which is continuously driven by a motor schematically indicated at 15 to cause the record effecting pressure rhythmically to be applied to pointer 5 and through pointer 5 onto chart 4, especially at a curved portion of chart 4 schematically indicated at 16 and more specifically formed by a backing roller 17. Roller 17 presents to the working edge of percussion plate 12 a substantially tangential or straight contact line across chart 4 and therefore, permits the production of a non-perforating mark at the intersection of pointer 5 and working edge 18 of percussion plate 12.

In accordance with lche invention, as more clearly apparent from FIG. 3, the movement of percussion plate 12 can be selectively blocked or inhibited by permitting a leaf spring indicated at 19 and fixed at 20 in a position substantially below the lower or rotating edge of percussion plate 12, to press percussion plate 12 continuously against the back of door 2.

In this position, the working lever or extension 13 of percussion plate 12 is held out of contact with the teeth of tooth reel 14 and therefore, prevented from rocking rhythmically and pressing with its working edge 18 galvanometer pointer 5 against chart 4.

In other words, the flexibility of leaf spring 19 prevents the writingoperation to take place, and permits only reading to take place on chart 6 shown in FIG. 1.

In order to permit writing operations, or simultaneous writing and reading to occur leaf spring 19 ycan be made inoperative or bent away from plate 12 by the axial movement of a bolt 21 supported in door 2 and operable from the outside by turning button 22. Spiral 23 on shaft 21 which is supported in the wall of door 2 in a spiral groove or thread, if turned, will move forward or backwards in the direction of arrows 24, 25, respectively, and thereby cause leaf spring 19 to be operative or inoperative, respectively to inhibit the recording movement of percussion plate 12.

In accordance with a further modification of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there is arranged directly behind leaf spring 19 a lleaf type switch schematically indicated at 26 of the microswitcli type or any known construction. Switch 26 is so arranged that it may open (or interrupt) contacts when spring 19 is pressed against percussion bar 12, 18. On the other hand when leaf spring 19 is permitted to press yback the contacts of switch 26 are caused to close (or open as the case may be). Switch 26 then may be used .to energize under control of button 22 simultaneously with leaf spring 19 any desired circuit operation for example, operation of motor 15 thereby causing movement of chart 4.

The invention of course is not limited to the particular movement inhibiting and movement controlling means shown and described, nor to the particular movement blocking or unblocking means, used in the example of the recording devices illustrated but may be appiied in any appropriate manner without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

I claim:

1. In a recording device, a pressure sensitive recording strip, means for moving said strip along a predetermined path; said path including a curved portion; percussion means arranged facing said strip on the concave side of said curved portion; said percussion means having a lower edge forming 'a rotary axis extending across said path, and another parallel upper edge rotatable about said axis so as to move said percussion means to and fro with respect to said strip; a galvanometer needle arranged between said strip and said percussion means so as to move substantially in a plane tangential with respect .to said curved strip portion, means forming an extension of said percussion means at said rotary edge on one side thereof forming a lever to cause said percussion means to press its upper edge to and from said strip thereby causing said needle selectively and momentarily to press or not to press against said strip, and to produce or not produce a visible point shaped mark on said strip; and means arranged on the other side of said percussion means selectively to hold said percussion means in a xed position out of engagement with said strip; said holding means including a flat leaf spring attached to said door below the lower edge of said percussion means, and arranged to press in its operative position against the back of said percussion means thereby pressing said percussion means against the back of the door and out of contact with said needle and said strip; and means on the front of said door for selectively pushing said spring back out of contact with said percussion means thereby permitting said percussion means to move to and fro to produce pointshaped recording marks on said pressure sensitive strip along a linear portion of said strip at that part of said curved portion facing the needle which forms an intersection Of said needle and said upper edge of said percussion means 2. Instrument according to claim 1 wherein said pushing means include a button rotatable in a spiral groove provided in said door so as to assume selectively two positions, one forward position in which said button presses said leaf spring out of engagement with the back of said percussion means, and a backward position in which said button permits said spring to press said percussion means against the back of said door thus causing said percussion means to be inoperative.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,124,820 Simonsson Ian. 12, 1915 2,520,918 Elarde Sept. 5, 1950 3,048,848 May Aug. 7, 1962 

1. IN A RECORDING DEVICE, A PRESSURE SENSITIVE RECORDING STRIP, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID STRIP ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH; SAID PATH INCLUDING A CURVED PORTION; PERCUSSION MEANS ARRANGED FACING SAID STRIP ON THE CONCAVE SIDE OF SAID CURVED PORTION; SAID PERCUSSION MEANS HAVING A LOWER EDGE FORMING A ROTARY AXIS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID PATH, AND ANOTHER PARALLEL UPPER EDGE ROTATABLE ABOUT SAID AXIS SO AS TO MOVE SAID PERCUSSION MEANS TO AND FRO WITH RESPECT TO SAID STRIP; A GALVANOMETER NEEDLE ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID STRIP AND SAID PERCUSSION MEANS SO AS TO MOVE SUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE TANGENTIAL WITH RESPECT TO SAID CURVED STRIP PORTION, MEANS FORMING AN EXTENSION OF SAID PERCUSSION MEANS AT SAID ROTARY EDGE ON ONE SIDE THEREOF FORMING A LEVER TO CAUSE SAID PERCUSSION MEANS TO PRESS ITS UPPER EDGE TO AND FROM SAID STRIP THEREBY CAUSING SAID NEEDLE SELECTIVELY AND MOMENTARILY TO PRESS OR NOT TO PRESS AGAINST SAID STRIP, AND TO PRODUCE OR NOT PRODUCE A VISIBLE POINT SHAPED MARK ON SAID STRIP; AND MEANS ARRANGED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PERCUSSION MEANS SELECTIVELY TO HOLD SAID PERCUSSION MEANS IN A FIXED POSITION OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STRIP; SAID HOLDING MEANS INCLUDING A FLAT LEAF SPRING ATTACHED TO SAID DOOR BELOW THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID PERCUSSION MEANS, AND ARRANGED TO PRESS IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION AGAINST THE BACK OF SAID PERCUSSION MEANS THEREBY PRESSING SAID PERCUSSION MEANS 